Fly-exterminator



(No Model.)

H. HUNGERFOR-D. FLY EXTERMINATOR No, 514,227. Patented Fab. 6, 1894.

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lNVE/VTOH NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY HUNGERFORD, OF WEST HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

FLY-EXTERMINATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 514,227, dated February 6, 1894.

Application filed July 29, 189 3.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY HUNGERFORD, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of West Haven, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fly-Exterminators, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, elfective, cheap, and neat instrument for killing flies.

I have given to this instrument the name of the elliptic spring cushion fly exterminator.

Figure 1 illustrates the implement complete. Fig. 2 illustrates the cushion before it is finally closed and fastened to the handle. Fig. 3 illustrates a cushion with three folds only. Fig. 4 illustrates a cushion with the springs arranged crosswise of the cushion. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of a cushion showing the elliptical springs and rivets of the handle.

The cushion in my exterminator is made principally of .wire cloth. I take a strip of wire cloth, preferably about eighteen inches long by eight inches in width. A spring wire is inserted or woven into the meshes of this wire cloth, running lengthwise with the strip, and at a suitable distance from the edges. The edges of the wire cloth are then folded over, as in Fig. 2, so that the folds cover said spring wire. The strip of wire cloth, including thepieces of spring wire, is then bent at the middle and the two ends brought together and thrust into the slot in the handle, and then made firm by rivets, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5. The edges of the cushion may then be sewed or fastened by soft wire, a colored thread may be used by way of embellishment.

Fig. 3 shows a cushion made wholly of lateral folds, so that the cushion is made up of three folds of wire cloth.

In Fig. 4 a cushion is made of three folds, as in Fig. 3, and the springs are arranged crosswise of the cushion; and in this form the end of the cushion. is inserted into the slot of the handle, and fastened by rivets.

In killing flies as they alight in a room with a newspaper or other flat substance the fly is crushed, and the wall or furniture soiled. The paper or other fiat substance also creates Serial No. $81,872. (N0 model.)

my exterminator does not give to the fly notice of its danger, or facilitate its flight. The air does not impede the motion of the implement; it is light, and it can be moved much more swiftly than one through which the air does not pass. A perforated metal also crushes the fly, and soils the wall.

An instrument with a metal rim, or with a handle and a rim of any kind, is not sufiiciently flexible for practical use in killing dies, and the fly cannot be conveniently struck with such an instrument while on the wall or on the curtains, and there is danger of damaging the furniture or bric-a-brac by its use. Where only one thickness of wire cloth or other substance is used the fly willbecrushed, and the wall or curtains or furniture soiled. By my invention in which two or more folds of wire cloth are used and strengthened by wire or other springs folded up in the Wire cloth, &c., the exterminator is made without any external rim, and is perfectly flexible so that it can be used conveniently against the wall,and there is little danger of breaking any furniture or bric-a-brac, also the fly is caught and killed without being crushed.

The wire springs may be made in any desired shape so that they are inserted between the folds of wire cloth.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the edges of the wire cloth may be made so broad as to bring the edges of the cloth together, thus giving four complete thicknesses throughout. I prefer, however, to fold them over only part way, and enough to fully enfold the wire spring. By this means the cushion is left more transparent, and less breeze is created.

I prefer a cushion when folded to be about three and one-half inches in breadth and nine inches in length.

By the means aforesaid avery effective and loo convenient instrument is provided for the purpose intended, and by it flies can readily be killed by a sweeping stroke, even while flying through the air.

I claim 1. In a fly exterminator, the combination of the cushion made of folds of wire cloth, and a larger spring wire made elliptical in form, and arranged so as to run lengthwise of the cushion, substantially as described.

Signed atNew Haven,in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, this 27th a cushion made of two or more folds of wire day of July, A. D. 1893. cloth, and a spring of wire or other material inserted between the folds, substantially as 10 described.

2. In a fiy exterminator, the combination of HENRY HUN GERFORD. Witnesses:

S. E. MERRIAM, HENRY H. GUERNSEY. 

